This Woman's Work
by M.L. Hollingsworth
Summary: Olivia Carolyn Pope is in her final year at Yale. She takes a semester off to visit Liberia, intrigued by its war torn past and an opportunity to put her International Relations major to a less conventional use than most of her classmates. There she meets Fitzgerald Grant, 13 years her senior, (barely) married and in Monrovia to visit an old college friend .
1. Chapter 1

Olivia rolled out of bed on a Saturday morning, and realized she was late for work. Her UN internship was unpaid but she still wanted to make a good impression. Her concern was not merely about the optics. She prided herself on not a being slouch. For whatever reason though, the unbearable heat extended her slumber. A mosquito net hung over her bed for protection so she no longer got up in the middle of the night to swat them away. She was very thankful for this new addition to her bed room. African mosquitoes seemed to be a more persistent breed than most and she was surprised that she had not caught Malaria as of yet.

She put on a pair of white shorts and threw the mass of tight curls atop of her head in a lazy bun. She looked in the mirror and saw her mother's doe like hazel eyes,- the cheekbones that had caught her father's eye across the room at George Washington University all those years ago and smiled with his same full lips. As she slathered on the cocoa butter on her legs she could not help but marvel at how fast her usually caramel skin had darkened to a deep bronze. She did not mind the change, but was always internally scolding herself for forgetting to put on sunscreen. Her best friend Abby recently had a skin cancer scare.

She checked the clock and it was already 9:15 am. She was sure her driver was waiting for her outside already. She did not mind taking a local form of transportation but her father had insisted on hiring a driver for the duration of her stay out of an abundance of caution. As she ran down the steps of the small house her host family stayed in, she heard Amadu's familiar accented voice calling. "Ms pope, we get fo hurry". She apologized and jumped into the old 1995 Camry which doubled as a taxi.

Fifteen minutes later she was at work, thankful for the air conditioning but not the mass of emails awaiting her. One was from her ex boyfriend Edison, who was just "checking in on her". She browsed it quickly and moved it to her trash folder. The next proved to be more interesting. It was from one of her professors informing her that he was in Monrovia for the next few months on a research trip. He had taken on the role of her academic mentor considered her his protege , and even wrote a glowing letter of recommendation when she decided to apply for this internship. She was sad that she belatedly found out he was in the same city, with only a week left before she was obligated to return to New Haven for the start of the school year.

She sent a quick reply with an offer for coffee and breakfast and 30 seconds later an answer arrived in her inbox asking if she would be free in a few hours. She cleared it with her boss Helena who was being especially lenient towards the end of her tenure. Olivia was a bit sentimental too, sad that her first trip to Africa was coming to a close. As she walked the 4 blocks to a local coffee shop popular with expats, she exerted more effort to savour the sights and sounds. A woman with a bucket on her head selling frozen bags of water, a colourfully painted van that read Jesus is Lord whized by, followed by a motorcycle with a precariously hitched passenger which the locals called "okada".

When she arrived at her destination, her lunch date was not hard to spot, with his unruly blonde hair and glasses perched on top of his head. He reckoned that his absolute disregard for his appearance was a marker of his academic prowess. However it was the person sitting next to him that made Olivia's breath hitch in her throat. He had short brown curls, tanned skin and the strain of his muscular biceps against his grey shirt was clearly visible. They matched the crucelean blue of his eyes. Olivia didn't notice them at first because he was scanning a newspaper. When he looked up she also took note of his strong jaw line, a roman nose and lips that were slightly flushed from being nibbled on.

She felt herself gulp involuntarily and wondered who her Professor's friend was.

Fitz had been scanning the news paper for nothing in particular, bidding the time it took for his coffee to cool and for his eccentric friend to finish scribbling an important note to himself. William was a brilliant but woefully disorganized. Always had been. Spending the last 7 years in academia had only amplified those qualities. Fitz chuckled to himself, silently glad that he decided to get out of the Ivory tower when he did, Rhodes scholarship non-withstanding. When William called her name he looked up from his paper and blinked twice. Standing across the room was a beautiful petite sun kissed woman. Perhaps the most gorgeous one his eyes had ever laid eyes on. The doubt was only momentary. She WAS the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her posture was straight and the length of her legs belied her small stature. She had on white linen shorts and an orange satin top that perfectly complemented her skin. On her right wrist was a small hand-made bracelet. She was headed toward their table and his mouth suddenly went dry.

She greeted William warmly and he introduced her. " This is Olivia, one of the best students I have ever had, she even makes me enjoy teaching undergrads. "

She giggled softly and waved him off. Then she extended a slender hand . He took it in his and felt a faint jolt of electricity run through his body.

"Hi" she said.

"Hi" he replied, transfixed.


	2. Finding the Golden Key

He gathered himself and tried not appear disrespectful . She was William's student which made her practically a kid, he had never pegged himself to be the cradle robbing type. He played with the rose gold wedding band , it was a nervous habit.

Olivia's smile was dazzling and set her whole face aglow. Her caught the scent of her cocoa butter and wanted to pull her in for a hug but decided against it. She was a stranger after all.

She pulled a seat next to their table and started peppering William with questions about research design. Fitz thought she was doing his best to ignore him. In truth, she could not stand to look at him for fear of being swallowed whole by the depth of his gaze. William took a final swig of his coffee and stood up, " gotta take a leak, be right back"

Fitz shook his head, " is that all the decorum you can muster for a student?" His friend shrugged and headed towards the restroom at the back of the building. Once he was out of sight, Olivia cleared her throat. He mimicked her and they both fell into easy laughter. " He is a bit of an odd ball isnt he?"

Olivia nodded but her next sentence escaped her. Being so close to him was overwhelming. He broke the spell and casually said " So Miss pope, what brings you to Monrovia?'

"I have an internship at the UNDP"

"Ahh a do- gooder save the world type are you?" Fitz asked with a smirk.

"Nah i wouldn't say so, none of us can really save the world, the ones who believe that usually have some kinda hero complex going on, I am just here to do what I can. Besides, the weather here is a lot better than my second choice", she rested a hand on her cheek and played with the stirrer

"Which was ?"

"Moscow" -she replied, meeting his eyes once more. A long moment passed between them. Fitz wondered if she noticed that his heart rate had quickened dramatically. He was sure that his ears were fire engine red at this point.

Olivia must have been oblivious to the effect she must have had on him because their conversation went on for another three hours, though it only seemed like three minutes. It was then she realized that William still had not returned from the restroom and her brow furrowed with concern. Fitz stood up from his chair to go look for him. Just then his cell phone rang and it was the person in question.

He breathed a sigh of relief and held it up so Olivia could see the name on his blackberry screen.

The voice on the other end was jovial but apologetic.

"Hey sorry for making you babysit, I met a guy who claimed to have a link to a former rebel leader who is currently in hiding to avoid a war crimes tribunal. I am not sure if its legit, and its a shot in the dark but I had to run it down regardless. "

Fitz nodded, " I understand Will, I already know proper etiquette is not your forte"

"Whatever, William replied in a mock angry tone, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, make sure Olivia gets home safe, it will be dark soon"

"Will do", He hung up the phone and looked at the woman sitting across for him

He looked down at his hand and tinkered with his wedding ring, - again. The conversation with William was another reminder that Olivia was very young. She had just turned 20 and had told him the story of her first time getting drunk at Abby's urging. Delany's Restaurant and Tap room had never seen dance moves like hers she assured him. Yet, she laughed at the memory , before muttering "Never again" under her breathe.

Regardless, Fitz , could not help but feel she Olivia a bit of an old soul. Remarkably self aware and depreciating, but possessing a quiet confidence. When she spoke of her parents' divorce, a brief wave of sadness passed behind her eyes before she reasoned that it was for the best. He even recognized a hint of pride in her voice when she noted that they finally pulled the trigger after years of waiting for her sake. Fitz nodded. If only she knew how close to home that hit him.

Most of all however, he was struck by how easy and comfortable he felt talking to her. She was a stranger, 13 years his junior, yet here they were. In west Africa, as the sun went down. No pretence, no judgement, no expectations. Just him. And Her. Every cell in his body felt strangely alive.

Olivia twirled a loose curl on her index finger and yawned softly.

"I guess i should get going before Ms. Kingsley gets worried"

Ms. Kingsley was the woman she was staying with during her stay. Born in Monrovia, she was a Yale Alumni who had returned to her birthplace to work for the country's first female president. She was a mother hen through and through and wasn't scared of hurting anyone's feelings. Olivia would be getting an earful for returning home late.

She got out of her seat and Fitz followed.

'Your professor wants me to make sure you get home safe". He rested a hand on her shoulder , but withdrew it quickly for fear of being inappropriate. Olivia wished he had not been so hasty.

They exited the coffee house and the evening breeze was soothing against her skin. It was probably too late for Amadu to pick her up now. He never missed evening prayers at the Mosque and had told her today was his wife's birthday.

She knew walking was not an option because it would be dark by the time she got home and since electricity was not available 24/7, it would be unsafe to walk home alone on pitch black streets.

Fitz interrupted her thoughts, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing, trying to figure out how to get home", Her full lips formed into a small pout, and she wrinkled her nose a bit at the smell of kerosene in the air. It was often used to light lamps for the poorer residents of the city who could not afford to buy electricity generators . Fitz stared at her intently, his mind constantly processing how beautiful every visible part of her was. Then he spoke:

"William might have left his car, I am sure he wouldn't mind if I drove you home?"

They walked behind the building and Fitz located William's new red jeep, before he realized that he had left with the keys, which should have been obvious. He probably ran off with his informant without thinking twice. He must have decided against showing up in a fancy new car. Being a strange white man would draw enough attention and suspicion to begin with

"Shit" He blurted out, ''well that idea was a total bust``

Olivia laughed. " I`ll call Ms. Kingsley, she will complain but I am sure she will come get me" She dialled her host's number and heard her gravelly voice on the other end.

"Hey Livvie, why aren't you home yet? Are you ok?" Olivia felt a tinge of guilt for making her worry.

She explained her predicament, and Ms. Kingsley said she would pick her up immediately, but she still needed to wait another 30 minutes for her to drive to their location. She thanked her surrogate mom and ended the call.

She turned to Fitz and said, "Looks like we've got another half hour"

"I will wait with you. " His voice was soft, almost wistful.

Together they sat on the front stoop of the Ravenous Rooster Coffeehouse and waited for her ride home.

The silence between them was easy, but the air was thick. Fitz was not entirely sure he could blame that on the humidity. His mind was racing in fifty different directions and he reprimanded himself. He had to say something mundane as a distraction

"This is your last week in Monrovia huh"?

Olivia: "Yup, my internship officially ends next Friday but my last day of work is this coming Wednesday-how about you?

Fitz: Well I am supposed to be visiting William who is always running off to some secret hideaway and not being very good company.. . I have 2 weeks before my return flight to D.C. I am starting a consulting contract with the state department at the beginning of the month, so I wanna settle in for a bit before work starts. It's a 5 year deal, so it will be home for a while.

Olivia's eyes lit up. " How exciting!".

Fitz committed the sight to memory and agreed with her. "Yup, I am excited about it too, my phd is in linguistics and I will be working as a language expert in the counter terrorism department.

"I am in New Haven for school, but I only have one more semester left, I'm not sure about grad school yet so I hoping to get some kinda gig in New York, writing or researching. I am glad you will be in D.C. , that's not far from New Haven at all."

The last sentence was supposed to stay in her brain but it somehow found its way out of her mouth. She felt herself blush and cast her gaze downwards to avoid his.

Fitz felt his heart smile at the thought of her wanting to see him again. He had only known her for a few hours, but he was already certain that she was going to be a very important part of his life. How and in what capacity, he did not yet know. Too many variables were up in the air. Least of all his wife.

He gently put his thumb under Olivia's chin and encouraged her to look at him. He was about to say something when she swivelled her neck at the sound of a blaring car horn. It was Ms. Kingsley.

"That's my ride" she said, her voice dripping with regret, " I should go"

"yeah you should", he concurred, but his eyes never left hers. They now had a hint of grey that she had not seen before.

Fitz had decided against hugging her earlier that day, but he could no longer resist. He pulled her close and cradled his face in the crook of her neck. his hands resting in the small of her back. His brain intended for this to be a quick friendly hug, but his limbs moved of their own volition.

Olivia melted into him. He rubbed the pads of his fingers across her shoulders before he pulled back. She was thankful that he did, because her nipples had hardened into small pebbles underneath her satin blouse . She was paranoid that he would feel them had she stayed in his arms a moment longer.

She threw her cardigan on and hastily hurried toward the car. Fitz called out to her as she opened the door,

"Hey I never got your number!", she yelled it out and he added it to his contact list as they car sped off. Olivia realized that she hadn't remembered to take ask for his in return. She was going to drive herself crazy waiting for him to call.

She was quiet the entire ride home, lost in her thoughts. She told Miss Kingsley she wasn't feeling very well. The older woman repeated her frequent warnings against eating the delicious street food that was available at every turn. "your American stomach can't handle the germs here mi pikin" She said with a sparkle in her eyes, " We need to make sure we send you back to your folks in one piece"

Olivia nodded and offered her a smile. When they reached the stately two story cement house, she hopped out of the vehicle and headed straight to her room.

"Thanks for the ride, Mrs. K. i had a long, day, I am gonna try to get some sleep"

She closed the extra lock on her bedroom door and flopped down on her double bed. She found herself missing Fitz which was ridiculous, considering she had only known him for a few hours. Yet she heard his laughter, and recalled how safe she felt sharing stories from her past . She replayed every inch of his face in her mind on continuous loop. Clearly, sleep was not going to be a willing visitor on this night.

She called Abby long distance , but her best friend did not pick up. Part of her was glad for it because she was not sure anyone could understood the depth of her feelings at the moment. She wasn't even sure what to make of them herself. Not even Edison had left her in this state and she had been infatuated with him for YEARS. Ever since that summer at the pool after the tenth grade. Nevertheless, this felt much different than a teenage crush or even puppy love. Simply put, she was overwhelmed.

Her small figure climbed out of bed, eyed herself in the mirror and let her curls down. It was feverishly hot in her room so she pulls off her pyjama bottoms and white tank top. She usually didn't sleep wearing a bra, but did so in Ms. Kingsley's house because she was a guest here and she did not feel quite as free as she did at her apartment in Connecticut.

She got back into bed and retreated under the covers before she realized that evidence of her desire had soaked through her pink polka dot panties, She played with the black lace of her waist band before squeezing her legs shut. It felt strange pleasuring herself in a bedroom that wasn't really hers. She also had not done anything of this sort since she and Edison broke up before she left for Liberia. It was as if that part of her brain had gone on hiatus until today.

After tossing and turning for a few more hours, she was no closer to falling asleep. The mound between her legs was positively aching now. She put one finger between her folds, and rubbed the small bud there, and stifled a low moan. She imagined Fitz large hands exploring her, and her eyes squeezed shut as her breath quickened. Her imagination ignited and soon she felt his lips exploring her entire body, with faint scratches from his stubble. His voice was deep and low and he whispered words of love and lust. He palmed her small breasts and laved each nipple slowly. The pace of her fingers quickened down below and soon an organism overtook her. She buried her face in her pillow and sighed. She was not expecting it to arrive so soon. it usually took her at least 15 minutes to get her gears going. She was still a virgin and had not quite learned how to control her orgasms once she felt that low hurricane in her belly.

The sleep that had eluded her for hours followed soon after and she surrendered to it, pulling the blanket over her entire body.

10 Miles away, Fitz sat with a cold beer in his hand in his hotel room at the Golden Key. He was supposed to be watching a qualifying game for the African cup of nations, but all he could think about was Olivia. Her widely set brown eyes, lithe fingers, -that easy to induce laugh that held just a touch of youthful whimsy. She was absolutely beautiful, but beyond that, he really wanted to get to know her more. Meeting her was like reading the first few pages of a great novel and then misplacing the book for a few days. He was not going to have any peace of mind until he saw her again. That much was true. He pulled out his blackberry and realized it was 3AM local time. Much too late to call her. He could not wait to see what else Olivia Carolyn Pope had in store for him. He just hoped his heart was prepared.

He fell into a deep sleep before his phone rang loudly. He felt around the bed for a few seconds and found it.

He heard his father in law's southern drawl on the other end, but it had quickened a beat or two. His voice was filled with equal parts sadness and worry.

"It's Mellie" he said, " You need to come home right away there has been an awful accident and things aren't looking too good..."

Fitz was now fully awake, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.


	3. Would She?

Chapter 3:

** A/N: Hope you all enjoy finding out more and Fitz. I wanted to get this up before i am swampped with work for the next few days**

Olivia walked onto the veranda and looked out at over the city. She leaned against the metal railing with her cup of Ovaltine and sighed. Monrovia was not New York or Paris, and 100 foot tall building did not dominate the skyline. It's charm and beauty was all its own. She took a bite of the Rose apple that Jaxton, the gardener had picked from the tree in the backyard a few days earlier. During her stay she had learned that regular granny smith apples which were her favourite at home cost a premium compared to the locally grown rose variety which looked more like a bell pepper and tasted more like a pear than anything else. She was very amused at the zealous energy with which Mrs. Kingsley guarded her tree from the plots and ruminations of the neighbourhood boys. According to her host mother , they were nothing but rascals and scallywags sent by God himself to test her patience. Olivia smiled briefly before the weight at the bottom of her stomach returned.

She would soon leave the tropics behind for the day to day grind of New Haven so this if this was a sudden onset of boy craziness, it could not have come at a worst time. Abby was the one who always had stars and hearts in her eyes, not her. Wanderlust was always a bigger problem for the talented Ms. Pope. That is until Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III came along.

He had run his hands through his hair and looked slightly embarrassed his full birth name was revealed.

"The official government one is a bit of a mouthful, so I go with Fitz... it also makes my life way less complicated if folks aren't able to immediately connect me to the entire family "

It was a joke, but she recalled how he tapped his foot uneasily and the shift in his tone . She didnt push the issue further because it would have been impolite. The only person she could read that well was Abby and they had been best friends for as long as she could remember. Just A few hours earlier, she did not even know that Fitz existed.

After their meeting at the Ravenous Rooster, she had been checking her phone every two hours, wishing that it would ring, but it only stayed silent.

When the call finally came early Tuesday Morning, he sounded tired and deflated.

In a weary voice he explained that something had come up with his wife and she was very sick. He paused as if he wanted to say more and then decided against it.

"It was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Pope, truly"

"Call me Livvie" she replied, "we are friends... arent we?

"Of course" Fitz said with a deep breath

"Livvie" The named rolled of his tongue, and it was at was heavy with the weight of unspoken possibilities.

"I just wanted to let you know that I got home safe, I should have called sooner but I had to get the quickest flight out of here possible which was a total hassle "

"That's fine, I understand, family first. I will see you again soon"

Both of them were too afraid to ask when. The confirmation of spending an extended length of time apart would only make this moment worst

"I hope you wife is doing better by the time you get home- have you talked to Professor Finch?"

"Nope Will is still AWOL. I havent heard from him since Friday. I hope he is just being his usual adventurous self... Can you look into it for me?

"Of course, I'll call you if I find out anything, have a safe flight""

She said goodbye in a quiet voice and tried to fight back the tears as she got her clothes ready for work.

Fitz heard the disappointment in her voice felt a faint ache in his bones. There were so many things he wanted to tell her, but what good would it do to burden his new friend with all the sordid details of the life that awaited him in Santa Barbara.

The long journey back to California was blur. When he landed, his father in law called and informed him that due to the 'sensitive' nature of the situation, Mellie was being transferred to Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles which had more experience dealing with high profile clients.

Mellie's dad, Langston Doyle Brenner was up for re-election for his second term as Governor of California. An old school Texas oil tycoon, he had relocated the entire family to California after the death his first wife who was responsible for Mellie's alabaster skin, reddish brown hair and a stubborn streak from hell.

The race for governorship had been much tighter than expected after news broke of Brenner's involvement in an insider trading scandal, but he had hired the best crisis management firm in the country to minimize the damage. In the end, only one of his personal accountants ended up pleading guilty to money to charges of securities fraud while he escaped largely unscathed.

Still, news of his daughters suicide attempt would be another unwelcome distraction.

Fitz was used to playing this cat and mouse game with the media. He and Melliie had not lived in their ranch style bungalow for almost a year. Yet, no one outside of his father in law's thoroughly vetted inner circle of knew about it . The official divorce would have to wait because it would have been public record, waiting for any looky loos or any ambitious reporter to find out. The final scenes of his marriage played over in his mind as he drove from LAX towards the hospital.

He had found her in bed with her old law school class mate Jake Ballard.

Shocked froze him on the spot and he stood at the entrance of their master suite with his mouth hanging open. Mellie was covered with nothing more than a floral duvet and she had barely flinched when she realized he was in the door way. Perhaps she wanted to get caught. Jake was embarrassed more for his lack of modesty than being in bed with another man's wife. He grabbed his shirt and pants, changed in the bathroom and left through the backdoor.

The events of the previous few months finally began to make sense.

Mellie had attended USC law school, not out of any desire to practice law, but because it was a prestigious occupation for the daughter of a wanna- be politician. Langston's enemies could say a great deal of unsavoury things about him , but they would never be able to touch his record of raising intelligent, self sufficient children. At least that s how the narrative was supposed to play out. When Mellie finished law school however, her J.D. became more of an interesting accent point on her biography. She took the bar exam and promptly settled into the So Cal old money socialite circuit where she fit right in.

So, It was surprising to say the least when she eagerly took an associate attorney position at Ballard & Craven LLP, though she was never as stressed or worn out as all the other first years at the firm were. On the contrary, she often left work early to accompany the name partner to dinner with mysterious international clients hailing from Dubai or Singapore. She made no secret of these rendevous and assured Fitz that it was totally work related. He had no reason not believe her. Mellie could be self absorbed and a tad manipulative, but she loved him- or so he had managed to convince himself.

After all she married him despite her father's misgivings about the Grant Line and their noveau riche ways. They had even bonded over the shared loss of their mothers as teenagers. Moreover even though, she once told him that his decision to pursue a PHD in linguistics was a waste of time, she beamed with all the pride in the world and smiled widely when he stood on that Yale stage in his doctoral robes.

That memory was almost enough for him to forget the vitriol in her voice when he confronted her about Jake. HE was to blame for the affair- he was too weak willed, she retorted. Always had been. What kind of man would allow his wife to have dinner with someone else at all hours of the night without a word of protest? How could he not have noticed that she had been faking orgasms since the beginning of their marriage?

It was then Fitz realized that a major part of her interest in him during undergrad was the thrill of the chase. Fitz had been a captain of the rugby team and had his share of conquests. Mellie was first one earn official girlfriend status. She was the envy of the entire female population on campus with him on her arm. When they left college bubble behind for the real world, all that disappeared - and with it most of her desire for him.

Despite all of this, he still hoped to God that she was alright. Why on earth would she take as many pills as she did? Sure she was not thrilled about the divorce, but never seemed suicidal either. Any hurt she felt was more about her wounded pride and surprise that he actually had the gall to leave their home and rent a condo in miles away in Santa Monica.

Fitz stroked his stubble that was now almost a beard as he pulled into the Cedars Sinai parking lot.

He always suspected that Mellie had had a few walls up and tried his best to be understanding . Perhaps he had simply underestimated the depth of her feelings for him.

He headed upstairs and realized why he hated hospitals. The walls were so sterile, and the atmosphere sombre. Mellie's physician was older Asian gentleman with salt and pepper hair, thickly framed glasses and a soothing voice. He informed Fitz that she had slipped into a coma briefly but was steadily improving.

He entered her room in the ICU and realized that she did not seem quite as tall without her favourite 5 inch heels that exaggerated her 5 foot 8 frame. In fact, she looked so frail and forlorn just lying there. Her hair had lost all its luster and her pale skin seemed to now have a grey undertone.

He could not leave her side when she was in this state. He sat on the rocking chair beside her bed and tried to get some sleep. He was exhausted and severely jetlagged. The magnitude of the delusion he had entertained just a few days earlier finally dawned on him. After meeting the most beautiful woman ever and allowed himself to dream of a future with, of dates and late night conversations. Getting to know her inside out. He smiled ruefully: Shoulda known better, he thought, " when has anything in your life ever been that easy?"

Around 8pm, a friendly nurse kindly reminded him that visiting hours would soon be over. Mellie had not woken up at all, but he would be back to see tomorrow.

He grabbed his jacket and headed to the parking lot preparing himself for the slow drive back to Santa Monica He was not sure if the keys he had for the old house still worked or if Mellie had changed the locks after he left. Regardless, being in his own space might help clear his mind.

45 minutes later he was at home in his spacious 2000 square foot beach front condo. The space was decoratede in the minimalist decor that Mellie hated so much. He had his favourite picture of his mother framed and it hung in the door way. Her blue eyes sparkled brightly enough to hide the pain that her philandering husband brought. Mrs Ellen Grant had succumbed to breast cancer at 45 still wishing that the man she loved would become the man she always hoped he would be.

Fitz hung the picture in the foyer because he liked the idea of her greeting him when he came home every night.

On this day, more than most, he missed her sage advice, her ability to make even the most complicated dilemmas make perfect sense.

Only she would begin to understand what he felt for Olivia and he always trusted her completely when she said " tell me, I won't judge". A cup of Royal York tea was always the drink of choice while she encouraged him to spill his guts.

Fitz kicked of his shoes flopped down on his white couch. He sent another email to William and wondered why in the world his friend had mysteriously disappeared. He hoped he had a good story upon his return.

He grabbed a blanket from his bedroom and decided to sleep on the couch. As he flipped through the channels, he wondered what Olivia was up to. It would be almost morning in Monrovia now.

Fitz's mind drifted off and he wondered what it would feel to wake up next to her after a long day hiking at the cabin his mother had left him in Lake Tahoe. She would enjoy that and be fiercely competitive too... They would drive back to his condo, singing along to the radio, his feet sore and heart light as a feather. The would eat her favourite Chinese takeout for dinner and then he would feast on her. How would she taste? Would her skin feel as velvety as it appeared? Would it glow as brightly in the moon light that filtered through his floor to ceiling windows, as it had in the African sun?


	4. Fear

**A/N. I figured i'd just put this up since I had a bit of writer's block today on my research paper. My misfortune provides your entertainment. Thank you so much for all the reviews! I havent written fiction of any kind since HS so its awesome that you enjoy it. YAY!- M.L.H.**

** P.S. I realized that i published the wrong version of the doc i wanted to. Grrr. had to take it down, no worries. no major changes, just got the finch brothers mixed up! lol **

**2 months later**

Olivia sat in Mrs. Kingsley's spacious office and watched the older woman go on into full on professional beast mode.

" There is an American citizen missing, William Finch is a tenured faculty member at an Ivy League school, HEADS are going to roll if I don't get some intel soon"

She was supposed to be boarding a flight out of Monrovia in two days but that was looking more and more unlikely. She had spent the past month searching high and low for her favourite professor, but he was no where in sight. In the mean time, she had gotten her first taste of detective work, Liberian style. It was a week after Fitz phone call that her concern truly mounted. William had not made contact with anybody. Apparently, they were among the last two people to see him before his mysterious trip to interview the reclusive rebel leader Steve Toure. Now Olivia was not even a hundred percent sure about that story itself. She still missed Fitz terribly, but looked forward to their now almost nightly conversations. She did not think it was possible, but the distance was making her fall even deeper in love with him. It was a double edged sword. The absolute certainty of one's first real love and the uncertainty of their relationship. He was married- that much she knew. They never talked about Mellie aside from a few updates here and there about her condition. Olivia could tell it was a touchy subject for him and did not want to push the issue, still she disliked the fact that he had those walls up.

"None of this matters any way" she scolded herself as she sat on the plush ottoman and played with a lose thread on her maroon pencil skirt. The number one thing on the agenda was to find William and soon. It was not like him to go off the grid for this long without a sinister reason.

"The only reason he calls you every night is to get updates on his friend. Why on earth are you been so needy?" - that negative voice in her head was getting harder and harder to ignore.

Nevertheless, her journey back to New Haven would have to wait. She was not worried about graduation because there were already a few extra credits under her belt, the only thing left was to come up with a reasonable excuse for staying in Africa that wouldn't trouble her parents too much. She was going to find William Finch before she returned to the United States. That much she was sure of.

Since her internship at the UNDP was finished , she was now officially a consultant at the American Embassy. Her parents would be proud of the commitment she was showing to her new place of residence-as long as they did not know she was off searching for William. They would worry to death, and her mother, as snarky as could be would tell her she was no Nancy Drew.

The embassy was only 5 minutes away from where she worked during her internship but she could not bear to return to the Ravenous Rooster. Fitz was in every nook and cranny of that place now so she would probably be sniffling by the time she got to the cash register. His phone calls where the only thing that got her through the day at times. Now if only would open up to her more...

**- Santa Barbara California **

Back on the other side of the world, Fitz was reluctantly getting reacquainted with the house he once shared with Mellie. A nurse stayed home with her as a essentially a form of surveillance-although Langston sold it was a way to ease her boredom. When she first got back from the hospital she spent most of the time sleeping or crying, not really saying much. As the days passed, Fitz could see little glimpse and pieces of her old self-both good and bad.

His contract with the state department was supposed to start any day now, but he was not mentally prepared to be in such an intensive environment so he asked to defer the start of it. They werent pleased with his decision, but made an exception for an expert of his calibre.

On this day, Mellie had gotten out of bed, and brushed her teeth and hair. When Fitz entered the front door her voice called out

"Take of those shoes buddy"- he laughed, glad that she was at least feeling better enough to be particular about dirt on her imported custom designed brazillian hard wood floors.

She was eating a bowl of Hagen Daz and offered him her scoop but he declined. Something about interacting with her after all that had transpired between them was odd, but Mellie was acting like nothing ever happened. Fitz was no psychologist, but he figured that repression was easier for her at that point.

They ended up playing a game of scrabble and he tried not to beat her mercilessly but still won. He found his old bottle of scotch that had somehow survived Mellies attempt to erase every trace of him from the house after he left (she had probably assumed it was her father's). It tasted even better a year later, than he had remembered. He did three shots and feel asleep on the couch while mellie retired to her walk in closet/room to take a few pictures to send to her new interior decorator. Daddy dearest had agreed to pay for a complete remodel of her dressing suite as a "Get well soon" present.

It didnt take long for Fitz to fall into a deep sleep. His dreams were the same as they had been for the past few weeks. He only saw Oliva, her full lips, the curve of her hips, those long eyelashes. He wondered what she would taste like, wondered if he could survive the beautiful agony of being buried deep inside her. Soon his not so little friend was wide awake, and blood rushed to his member.

When Mellie came back downstairs she briefly eyed him sleeping on the couch. His state of arousal was clearly visible and she remembered their late night hook ups in her dorm room all those years ago. How he could go from tender to animalistic in 10 seconds flat. She had given all this up for that bastard jake ballard who was now stringing her along for a stupid paralegal who probably couldn't even pronounce "Louboutin" correctly. She sat on the couch and kept staring at him. She reached out a hand to touch his firm chest which startled him awake. He frantically ran to the kitchen table to retrieve his phone

"Holy shit!"

"What's wrong fitz," she asked curiously.

"UM nothing, I just promised livvie I would call at 8 and its almost 10:30pm. its like 2 now where she is- godamnit she might not even be awake.

"who's Livvie?" Mellie demanded to know with an air of disdain in her voice.

"You don't NEED to know anything about my personal life"

"Oh so you have a personal life now? was that who you were dreaming about? Was it why you dick was as hard as a rock as you lay their snoring on my couch?!" - she was getting angrier with each word.

He was getting increasingly frustrated as well, but was trying his best not to antagonize her.

"Mell- listen we dont need to be having this conversation. You need to take you medicine and got to bed, we are separated,- I agreed to hold off on the divorce as a favour to your dad remember?

Suddenly, her face crumbled and she burst into a fit of tears and said :

"Jake was a mistake, a bad one, I wasn't thinking, I swear- he was just there and we used to be such good friends, we hadn't talked in years and I missed him." She was rambling now but then screamed:

I didnt think you would ABANDON ME for a WHOLE fucking year, no phone calls, no nothing. You came running when you thought I was on my deathbed, but you never wanted to fight to get me back!," her entire body was trembling now.

He looked at her with pity in his eyes and massaged his temples and spoke in as even a voice as possible

"Mellie, stop with the revisionist history. Please. It doesn't do any good, I didnt abandon you... you committed adultery and blamed me for it. You arent always a victim. Shit happens. Life is hard. I understand that more than most... but this isnt gonna work. "

He played with his wedding ring and took a deep breath. "I have to go"

Mellie didnt look up at him as he walked out of the door. She was in a state of disbelief that he hadnt scooped her up in his arms and told her everything was going to be ok. Where did that spine of steel act come from? and most importantly, who the fuck was this Livvie that he so desperate to call? She had some detective work of her own to do...

Fitz drove his Prius back the Santa Monica in a state of disbelief. Was Mellie delusional? Abandoned her? REALLY? He could not suppress a bitter chuckle. God that woman was something. He parked the car in the underground garage and went upstairs.

He dialled the fifteen digit number to call Olivia. It was early morning in Monrovia and she would probably still be asleep, but he no longer cared about being polite. All he needed right now was her voice.

She picked up on the third ring

"Hey Livvie"

She recognized his voice immediately.

"Hey" she replied " listen I got nothing new on William"

She sounded irritated. "Whats wrong?-still not a morning person?" he quipped

"No, just getting the most important thing out of the way first that's all"- There was something off in her tone although he couldn't place it. Still he decided to soldier on before he changed his mind about telling her.

"Look... My wife is getting better. her recovery is going smoother than expected, We are in the middle of a divorce, but I dont want you to worry about that. You're only 20, you have your whole life ahead of you and dont need baggage. Me... well I have a lot of it"

Olivia was silent for a long moment and then replied

"And?"

"And I dont want to put you in a funny position"

"hmmm ok,. Fitz I am 20 not 2, you will never put me in a position I dont wanna be in, EVER"

" You Sure?"

" Yes" .

He ran his hands through those thick dark curls and smiled with relief.

" I miss you... and Monrovia. Not to mention this whole thing with William is getting weirder by the day. I called his older brother Stephen and he said we should both go back there to oversee the investigation"

Olivia's ears perked up and as unfortunate as Stephen's disappearance was, the thought of seeing Fitz again made her squeal internally

" We will be will be there a week from thursday"

She hung up the phone and hugged her pillow to her chest.

When she and Fitz were finally reunited, the weather was not quite as gracious as the day they first met. Monrovia was in the midst of its rainy season and the market place they were browsing was covered with mud. He had only been here for a few days, but they had settled into an easy routine. Stephen had used his connections at the US consulate to find a small apartment in the city for the duration of his trip, while Fitz was content to keep staying at the Golden Key. As dysfunctional as his family was at times, he was grateful for the financial freedom they gave him.

Stephen was tall with olive skin and dark hair, he had a quick wit and did not have a pensive streak like Fitz. Olivia made a mental note to play match maker and introduce him to abby when they got home. He would be the perfect "I am sorry for abandoning you in final year gift".

Ms Kingsley had accompanied the president, her Excellency Madame Green Harris on a trade mission to China which was heavily investing into a new sports stadium that was being built. If that went well they would likely infuse capital into many other industries. Her children like most of the spawn of upper class Liberian politicians all were enrolled in universities abroad and so had left the country for school. The house felt a bit empty but Olivia didnt mind now that Fitz was in town since she spent the majority of the day with him and Stephen

They returned from the market with fresh ingredients. In Monrovia fresh produce was often cheaper than packaged processed foods which Olivia found to be a great irony. She was trying her hand at Ms. Kingsley specialty: groundnut stew. A sauce made with peppers onions chili and roasted peanuts served over rice. It wasnt bad, but it did not taste quiet authentic. She figured she probably missed a step or three because Fitz was peppering kisses along her jawline and holding her close.

Just been so physically close to him after all this time was intoxicating. She turned off the stove and did what she had been wanting to do for almost 3 months. She kissed him, gently at first, but then his strong arms pulled her closer and soon there was no space between bodies. Their tongues duelled as if in a death match to see who could make the other run out of breathe first. Her lips were petal soft, and Fitz kissed her that way at first, but his hunger for her surprised even him. When she nibbled on his bottom lip, he grew increasingly desperate and moved to pull her closer. His cock was straining against his levi's begging to be let loose. He ignored it and just kept kissing her.

He moved one hand down and cupped her round ass which elicited a soft moan . He hiked her shirt dress up and suddenly stopped to look at her, to see any hint of resistance. This was the moment she usually pushed Edison away and reminded him to stop. But there was something about the rain, and the 90 degree wether and his hands all over her... God , those hands, she bit her lips and held her breathe- unsure of what he was about to do. His eyes never left hers as he moved the slip of fabric that was her thong out of the way. Her eyes were now hazy and hooded with desire, so he continued. He put his index finger between her slit and she made a beautiful noise he had never heard before. He kept moving his index finger up and down and watched the exquisite muscles in her face contort.

"Mmm fitz,... damn it. soo good." she moaned the words out instinctively.

His finger grew more erratic as he was struggling to control his own desire, then he finally slipped one digit into her. The initial resistance at her center quickly gave way and she was warm, and sticky. He curved his finger upward, and moved his mouth to her earlobe, nibbling on it softly. Her knees grew weaker so he used his other arm to hold her up. He marveled at how she responded to every touch and coaxed her to open her eyes. She would do so for a milisecond and then clench shut again as soon as her walls did. He added one more digit and his two fingers moved inside her slowly. He kissed her senseless and soon her body was getting closer and closer to its release. She gasped for air and after a few minutes her essence was trickling into his palm. She looked up at him,- brown eyes shiny and bright. Her upper and lower lips swollen from his attention.

His blue eyes had darkened considerably and his breathing was even more ragged than hers. He moved to the sink to wash his hands, resisting the urge the lick the rest of her of his fingers.

She didnt say a word as she straightened out her dress. She was stunned. He felt sooo much better than anything he could have ever imagined.

Fitz held on to the island on the kitchen and tried to center himself. It had been more than a year since the last time he and Mellie slept together but this was different. The earth had shifted beneath him, and he still had all his clothes on. She felt even more amazing live and in color than in any dream.

Yet, his first instinct was fear. He was scared...


	5. Loose Ends

**A/N :Thanks as always for reading. I probably wont update for a while because im trying to figure out what to do with the mystery and having it advance in tandem with the development of their relationship. I feel like I know exactly where olitz is going, but less of an idea of William's fate. Your reviews inspire me so dont be shy! let me know what you think. MLH**

After paying off no less than 3 police officers with $20 American Dollars eah, Olivia and Stephen were finally escorted into a crowded police station to speak to the Captain who was supposed to be handling William's case. He largely confirmed that there was no way of knowing if William did leave to speak to Steve Toure because the rebel leader actually had not been seeing since the peace treaty was signed three years earlier. As a matter of fact, with his network of supporters who had outwardly changed coats or gone underground, there was no telling if he was even IN Monrovia, one of the neighbouring provinces or if they had crossed the border with him. Essentially they were back at square one.

Olivia tried to hide and disappointment and frustration for Stephen's sake. He clearly was not sleeping very well and the bags under his eyes told the whole story. She could not even imagine what it would be like if her little brother Harrison went missing for a week, and William had been gone for almost three months. She was struck with overwhelming compassion for him and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He gave her a weak smile in return and rolled his shoulders around, as if to get some energy flowing through his veins for the rest of the day.

They still did not have a conclusive answer to the one question that would allow them to chase down new leads with confidence: Had William really left to go talk to Steve Toure or was he simply under the impression, that is where he was being lead?. It was not unheard of for American citizens to be kidnapped and held for ransom, but from what Ms. Kingsley had explained, the kidnappers usually only cared about the money and would make contact in one to two weeks maximum. The extended length of William's disappearance was thus unusual and troubling.

Olivia started pacing in circles near the entrance of the police station with a terse expression - her trademark thinking face. She tried to replay every single moment, she had spent at the Ravenous Rooster on that fateful day that her mentor disappear, but she knew it was virtually futile. She had been so engrossed with Fitz that he was the only thing that filled her mind, and a slight smile crept to her lips. It was awesome, and a bit scary that thoughts of him could make any moment better.

Fitz , who was sick in bed with a bad cold, had told her that William had developed a pretty active social life with the community of expats in Monrovia, and most of them were from Britain and the United States. Of all those who had gotten to know William, none of them seemed particularly suspicious. They were all bit quirky, and some of them were nicer than others, but nothing appeared problematic enough to take note off. Still, maybe he missed something.

Stephen was deep in his own thoughts today and not being his usually silly flirtatious self. It was as the gravity of the situation had finally donned on him after two weeks in Monrovia. His baby brother was missing and they were no closer to finding him. Still he was thankful for Olivia's intelligence, enthusiasm and a laugh that made everything seem just a tad better. He was not entirely sure what was going on between her and Fitz, but if his instincts were correct, his friend was very lucky indeed. Olivia jolted him out of his musings with a slight tap on the shoulder.

"Hey, I called Amadu, and he said that he will be able to pick us up around 6, its almost lunch"

" Right" stephen replied, we can walk to PJ's rib shack, they have a night club there and its a popular hangout spot for expats,... its so expensive that a lot of locals cant get in. We should be able to talk to the bouncers and such since they shouldnt be too busy this time of day"

Together they headed out into the crowded streets and started the long walk to P.J.s. When they arrived they were greeted by a hostess in a short black mini dress who offered to sit them but they declined, preferring to grab glasses of coke, standing by the bar. This made it easier to engage the employees in conversation. Stephen pulled out a recent picture of William and it was passed around to all the staff members on duty. A good number of them had recalled seeing him- or in any case a white man with glasses and blonde hair, but not on the particular day he went missing.

The youngest on the crew Ali, did say that he saw William having lunch once or twice with a fair skinned girl who he could not name. That was a start at least. Was William dating someone in Monrovia? Olivia scribbled every last bit of info on her note bad and thanked them profusely. Her creole infused with a heavy american accent could not conceal her status as a foreigner, but they understood her. If she practiced enough, she might even get the intonation right one day.

Stephen and Olivia left the rib joint and browsed a hastily erected stands on the side of the road selling homemade art. Many young Liberian men were unemployed and sold keep sakes, bracelets and paintings in an attempt to make ends meet. Stephen was fascinated by the trinkets on display and spent a good deal of time touching each one before deciding which one to buy. Eventually he settled on a rough sketch of a map and a small bracelet that matched Olivia's, and paid for both. Amadu picked them up a few hours later and dropped Stephen off at his apartment while Olivia went to the Golden Key to check on Fitz.

When she arrived, he was under the covers with a bright red nose and groggy voice- it sounded raspier and deeper and Olivia was torn between concern for his health and arousal.

"Hey" she whispered as she placed a feather light kisses on his cheek.

They had spent the last two weeks tiptoeing around the heated moment between them in 's Kitchen and Olivia was worried by his refusal to even bring up the subject. It was as if he wanted to pretend that it never happened and that filled her with dread.

She sat on top of the covers with her legs folded beneath her and played and stared at him intently while playing with the crucifux necklace her grandmother brought for her baptism. That was her nervous tick.

The combination of his failing immune system with the heat was making Fitz miserable. As if reading his mind, she smoothed his curls back and pressed the back of his hand on his forehead before getting up to adjust the thermostat.

"Are you feeling any better" she asked

" Now that you are here, yes. "

"Nice line", she noted with a chuckle but then grew serious

"What about you?" he questioned and she looked down at her fingers

" I dunno Fitz,... what happened that night? in the kitchen?"

He coughed and ran his hands through his hair before speaking

"We got carried a bit carried away huh?" he asked sheepishly

Her stomached dropped. Maybe her imagination had betrayed her and they weren't on the same page after all. She had physically gone farther with him than anybody else and would gladly let him be her first, but now he seemed hesitant about the whole thing.

Fitz could see the discomfort floating in her eyes and leaned closer to her, "What are you thinking?" he asked with concern.

"I dont know what to think honestly... We make out, I come all over the place, then you spend the next couple days making surface conversation, trying to wish it all away."

He was stunned at the hurt in her voice. He never wanted her to question his feelings for her, but did not want her to be overwhelmed or pressured by them either. Fitz sat up an rested his back against the headboard, before motioning her to come closer.

She sat in his lap and waited to hear what he had to say. He was taking a long while to form his thoughts.

Finally he spoke. "Livvie, we havent known each other that long right?" she nodded in agreement

" I just want us to do this right you know? Take our time, build something solid,. I was worried that I had gotten too far ahead of myself by giving in to what I wanted right that moment. Not whats good for us long term... Its hard. Does that make sense?"

Olivia played with a loose curl and tucked it behind your ear.

"Yeah, I guess so, I just wish it didnt take you two weeks to say something, it kind feels like you're shutting me out"

" I am sorry, really, I am not used to being an open book, I am learning as I go here"

Her heart swelled at those words and she wanted to lay in his arms for a while so she pulled back the covers and burst out laughing at the irony of his previously uttered words. He was no longer flaccid. Apparently, her straddling him still produced an erection even if he if he was under a thick blanket.

"It gets hard alright" she said snarkily.

"Hey! that wasnt supposed to happen" he said half jokingly.

Olivia leaned down to kiss him but he stopped her,

"Livvie, I got a cold remember? you're gonna get sick, I am a cauldron of bacteria right now"

She groaned in disapproval and stuck her tongue out playfully. It took everything in him not to capture her mouth in his right then.

Olivia obliged and stopped trying to kiss him on the lips, but lifted up his shirt which exposed his firm chest and defined pectoral muscles. She glided her hands languidly over them which elicited a soft moan

"Livvie, what are you doing?"

"Making you feel better" She replied huskily.

She had no idea where this slightly dominant side of her came from, but everything about Fitz made her want to cast all her emotional _and _sexual inhibition aside. She grazed each perked nipple with her teeth and heard a groan deep in his throat.

His eyes were now closed and he was breathing in and out slowly as if performing a meditation exercise.

Olivia kept running her hands all over his upper body and moved them lower still. His eyes opened quickly when she started fidgeting with the waistband of his boxers and then wrapped a small hand around his swollen member.

"Livvie ... please" he moaned. It took every ounce of self control not to spill his seed all over her pretty fingers right then, but he tried get his breathing under control once more.

The sight of him growing larger and harder in his hand was contributing to her arousal as well and her eyes were hazy when she whispered " tell me what you want me to do"

He hissed and suppressed a groan before replying " whatever you want babe"

With that, she squeezed him gently at first and admired his manhood before stroking him at a painfully slow place. She had wanted to do this since their tryst in the kitchen, but he had refused to let her return the favour then.

Today, the grogginess from the cough medicine made the difficult task of saying no to her just about impossible.

She made eye contact as she continued to stroke him before whispering half to herself, " I can't believe how hard and big it is"

" Thats all for you baby" he murmured and with that she was set ablaze, and started tightening the grip of her fingers and stroking him faster and faster. She moaned his name because it gave her pleasure to watch the pleasure play out across _his_ face. She ran her thumb over the tip of his engorged member and he threw his head back and cried out. Seeing that he enjoyed that, she did it once more for good measure and used her other hand to add more pressure.

His breathing was growing more and strained and the words struggled to come out of his throat.

" Yes, livvie baby... yes. please. Fuck". He could no longer form coherent thoughts and was feeling the familiar precursors to his release. The muscles in his thighs began to tighten and soon he reached one hand down and placed it over hers. Together, both hands stroked his manhood till he fell off the edged and sputtered his seed.

Olivia groaned in satisfaction of a job well done and tried to ignore the throbbing between her legs. She stared into his eyes for what seemed like forever but then a a contradictory shyness fell over her. She couldn't believe she had just done performed that act without being prodded or asked.

"Feel better?" she asked, now with a hint of apprehension in her voice.

"Much better" he replied and gave her a smile that she would never grow tired of seeing. Soon he was fast asleep and snoring softly. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and had a random thought. Fitz had nice eyelashes. There was also a barely noticeable scar right above his left eye. She would have to ask him about that sometime.

As she got up to retrieve her laptop from her purse, it dawned on her that he was right. Their connection was insane but they still had a lot of things to learn about each other.


End file.
